First food truck in West Bank opened by former political prisoners

Khaldoun Barghouti, a 43-year-old, and 35-year-old Abdel Rahman Bibi, both former political prisoners jailed by Israel for nine and eight years respectively, former prisoners have just launched an environmentally friendly mobile kitchen in the occupied West Bank.

The concept was conceived in the years leading up to their release, where they contemplated the various ways they could make a living.

"We didn't want to be a burden on society," said Barghouti, a married father of six. "We wanted people to benefit from our work, to develop as individuals, and to provide a service. We didn't want to subsist on welfare."

Having seen so much a tuna-and-corn concoction in their years behind bars, the two entrepreneurs decided to develop this as one of their many specialties, along with traditional fast-food options such as shawarma, burgers, and sausage, turkey and schnitzel sandwiches loaded with fries and pickled vegetables.

"We only started about two weeks ago," said Barghouti, who studied IT, history and marketing both in and outside prison. "Right now we are in a trial period, where we are scouting locations, deciding on the most appropriate prices, and figuring out what our running costs are."

The cooking partners broke ground by being the first in the occupied West Bank to obtain a permit from Palestinian authorities for a mobile kitchen. But that was not enough! They looked for ways to make the truck as environmentally friendly as possible. With the help of a local green firm, the truck's roof was affixed with two solar panels, which on a clear day can power the vehicle's freezer, display fridges and fans.

In its second week now, the truck has been roaming the streets of Ramallah, stopping at several locations each day. In the mornings, they often park by al-Quds University; at noon, they head to Beitunia's industrial area, where they cater to workers out on their lunch break; and in the late afternoon, the truck sits by the market. On weekends, the truck heads to various parks, tourist areas and cultural centres.

"So far we have generated a lot of interest," said Bibi. "Turnout is high. Customers keep coming back. There are some people trying to replicate our idea [who] have asked us for tips. Our Facebook page is filled with messages of support, or questions about the truck."

With four families relying on the truck for their livelihood, Barghouti and Bibi will need all the customers they can get. So far, they have taken out a $37,000 loan, payable over the next five years with a low interest rate, facilitated by the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees. 

"We faced some hurdles, because this is the first project of its kind in Palestine," Barghouti said. "I couldn't find any appliances to fit inside the truck, so everything had to be custom-made. I think the only item we purchased from a store was a set of knives," said Bibi. He added that the Ramallah and Bireh municipalities, under whose jurisdiction the truck operates, weren’t even sure how to categorise them for permit purposes.

The truck is so far garnering attention for various reasons: curiosity, empathy for the former prisoners, and food prices, which the two have customised to their specific clients. At the market, where even young boys have to work to help their families, prices are low, with a sausage sandwich stuffed with French fries and vegetables going for less than €2.

The success thus far has encouraged the two men to hire a third person to help to prepare the food.  With Bibi planning to get married in less than a month, they have also decided to split the workload into two shifts.

"At the beginning, curiosity attracted people to our truck," Barghouti said. "Some people also wanted to support us because we are former prisoners. But now they are coming back for the food."